Can I copy "Country Profile" details to create content?

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Can I copy "Country Profile" details to create content?

bleached

4:38 pm on Dec 8, 2008 (gmt 0)

I´m wondering if there is a free source of "Country Profile" material on the web which is free to use as content on sites (BBC have a good resource). I say this as writing profiles for over 100 countries will involve lots of research as well as time to write. I see many sites with country profiles and i´m sure they aren´t original. I´m looking to build quick easy content (please no insults for this last comment!)

Anyone have any experience with this? Cheers!

Quadrille

10:07 pm on Dec 8, 2008 (gmt 0)

I think its a bad idea purely because you are unlikely to rank well with unoriginal content.

Plus while there are many thousand of 'country profiles' about, they are all written for different reasons, and different audiences, and a borrowed one - legal or not - is unlikely to be wholly appropriate for your site.

I'd recommend doing it for your site, your audience.

Who gains by having yet one more identical profile? You might as well simply link to an existing page!

Having said that, you can use the content from Wikipedia, provided you comply with their attribution rules (links on most or all wikipedia pages).

bleached

11:03 pm on Dec 8, 2008 (gmt 0)

Anything about the country would be beneficial as it would be a resource for my clients. Of course I would do a little tinkering with the content changing it here and there, however, I would not be aiming at getting high rankings for these pages. Just a resource. And a little help from Wiki to help me along the way ;)

You mention simply linking to an existing page. I would want these pages branded with my name and of course as content for my site. This whilst building content is good for all I think?

anallawalla

1:29 am on Dec 9, 2008 (gmt 0)

The CIA factbook is also free of copyright, being a US Govt publication in the public domain. They have a page that explains this. Be careful of the duplication problem.

Syzygy

9:06 am on Dec 9, 2008 (gmt 0)

The CIA Factbook is free of copyright not just because it is a governmental publication, but because it is made up of, well, facts. ;-)

Syzygy

bleached

11:44 am on Dec 9, 2008 (gmt 0)

Cheers anallawalla and Syzygy.

A great resource, more complete impossible. That is exactly what I have been looking for.